Cattle-guard.



No. 672,343. Patented Apr. l6, IQ OI.

E. W. WILEY, JR.

CATTLE GUARD.

(Application flIgd May 16, 1899.)

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CATTLE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,343, dated April 1 6, 1901i.

Application filed May 16, 1899. fierial No. 717,055- iNo model.)-

Il'o all whom It may concern/.

Beit known that I, EDMUND W. WILEY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Le compte, in the parish of Rapides and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in guards for railwaytracks, adapted to prevent live stock from traveling over a track from one section or portion thereof to another; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, durable, and effective construction for accomplishing the object above set forth; and it consists in the novelconstruction,arrangement,and combination of the parts hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of three of the guardsections, and Fig. 4 is a detail cross-sectional view of a modified form of guard-rail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates a railway-track constructed in any usual Way. As shown, the said track is formed with cross-ties 1, to which the rails 2 are secured. Extending longitudinally of the track, between and at the outer sides of the rails thereof,are a series of guardrails 13, preferably formed straight and extending parallel and in close proximity to each other and likewise parallel to the rails of the track A. Of course in some instances, if found desirable, the guard-rails may be curved in the direction of their lengths and arranged parallel to each other. At their opposite ends the said rails B are provided with trunnions 3, received in openings of suitable supports 4, extending transversely across the track A, and are adapted to tilt or rock freely to one side or the other. The supports 4: may

be constructed in any suitable or desirable manner; but preferably they are formed of bars of metal angular in cross-section, as shown, and bolted or spiked to the track-ties.

Each of the guard-rails B is trough-shaped in cross-section and formed with upwardlydiverging longitudinal side flanges '7, and in order to maintain said rails normally in an upright position they are each provided be low their pivotal points with weights 8, which tend to swing them upon their pivots when pressure is not exerted upon the upper portion thereof. Preferably, as shown, each of the guard-rails is formed in two sections, the lower section 9 being provided with the trunnions 3, near its upper edge and at opposite ends, and constituting the Weighted portion of the rail. The upper section 10 of each rail is formed of sheetor plate metal and bent so that its base will conform to the top of the section 9, and its sides extend upwardly and diverge, the said upper section being preferably secured to the lower section by bolts 12, as shown, or it may be secured in any other desired manner.

It will be understood, of course, that the guard-rails B may be of any desired length and weight and formed of any suitable mate rial, and while it is preferred to form the said rails as shown and described, obviously they might be cast or formed in a single piece, or each side flange could be formed of a single plate of metal and bolted to the solid or lower section, as indicated in Fig. 4:.

With the parts thus constructed and arranged, should an animal attempt to cross the guard the weight of its foot upon one of the side flanges of aguard-rail will cause the same to swing upon its pivot or trunnions,and by reason of the guard-rails being in such close proximity the leg of the animal will engage with the side flange of the next adjacent rail, causing it to turn likewise. Thus the pressure exerted by the animal upon the two rails will cause its leg to be pinched between the most remote or outside rails, as indicated in Fig. 3, causing it to Withdraw its leg, which may be easily done without injury thereto.

Obviously instead of arranging the guardrails to extend parallel to the track-rails they might in some instances be laid transversely across the track.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides an improved cattle-guard of novel construction, in which the troughs are normally balanced by the weighted portions and are yet permitted to turn in the manner described when the animals foot is placed thereon, and still there is no danger of its foot getting locked or fastened, so that it cannot be Withdrawn, while the pinching effect on the leg or ankle will tend to cause the animal to withdraw its foot and get away from the guard. The guard does not require any springs or auxiliary devices to retain it in place or assist in its operation, which devices are liable to get out of order; but it is exceedingly simple in construction and can be made of any size and readily arranged in the desired position, and when so arranged itdoes not have to be countersunk into the ties, but is out of the Way of any brake-beams or other attachments of a train, which can freely pass over the same Without danger. When the guard-rails have been stepped upon and the animal leaves the guard, the rails will quickly assume their normal positions, and the whole forms a cheap and effective construction for the purpose desired.

Withoutlimiting myself to the precise construotion'and arrangement of the parts shown and described, since it will be obvious that various changes in the construction and arrangement thereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, what I claim is 1. A stock-guard for railway-tracks comprising a series of parallel trough-shaped guard-rails having diverging sides, and supports in which said rails are pivoted to turn freely, each of said rails being provided with a weight extending to a plane below the pivotal point of the rail, substantially as set forth.

2. A live-stock guard for railway-tracks comprising a series of pivotally-supported guard-rails arranged parallel to each other, said rails being weighted below their pivotal points and provided above their pivots with upwardly-diverging side flanges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND W. WILEY, JR.

Witnesses:

B. O. PETERSON, J. J. MOORE. 

